


Love

by Tulikettu



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Caduceus doesn't know he's in love, Fjord is an awesome paladin, M/M, Pre-Relationship, The Wildmother ships it, healing as a gesture of love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:48:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27723053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tulikettu/pseuds/Tulikettu
Summary: Caduceus Clay admires his friend Fjord. He's just...so full of admiration for him. It's overwhelming sometimes, just how much he admires him.
Relationships: Caduceus Clay/Fjord
Comments: 6
Kudos: 65
Collections: Pride Month 2020





	Love

**Author's Note:**

> From the Pride Month Prompt #2 First Love
> 
> I really thought this would be longer, but I've re-read it a thousand times and I guess it's happy the way it is. I think anything more would be forced, so this is just a short fic. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy it.

Caduceus has never been in love, and that’s fine. Whilst he’s always enjoyed imagining he’d find someone the way his parents did, he’s also sure that there’s a chance the Wildmother has something else in store for him. And that’s okay, too. 

So meeting his new friends seems to solidify that thought. This path is the right one. His parents would want him to do the right thing, and this is it, and Caduceus is happy. They’re all such interesting people, too. They’re from so many different walks of life, so many different opinions and world views, joined together with just the thought of doing the right thing for the greater good. 

It delights him when one of his new friends begins to look towards the Wildmother. And Caduceus needs to guide him, but not as much as he thought. He gets to show Fjord all of the wonderful things Her love has for him, all of the wonderful things Her love can bring. And he’s so proud. He’s so proud of Fjord when he pushes away from his old patron and dedicates himself to Melora. Caduceus is so happy. This is why She led him this way, and there’s nothing on earth he would exchange for it. 

He gets to watch Fjord bloom and grow, to admire him, beautiful in his glory and his brightness. 

Caduceus can’t take his eyes off of him, because he’s so proud. 

He carries the hilt of the sword with him until they make it to the forge where he has it mended, made strong and brilliant, perfect for Fjord. 

And Fjord grows even more strong and brilliant in Her love. Caduceus’ heart swells, and something warm and new blooms inside him, a reward for doing so good a job he’s sure. 

  
  
  


They’re sitting together quietly one late afternoon in a pause in their usual drama and chaos. He and Fjord face each other on the grass a little way away from where the others are froliking by a pond. Their knees touch. The air around them is sweet with Her presence. He can hear Fjord’s slow, steady breaths, then the slight rustle as he moves his hands. Caduceus slits open his eyes to see what’s happening. Fjord touches the grass beside him, slides his fingers across it. Little flowers start to bloom there, springing up out of the grass in the path of his hands. 

Caduceus is in awe. 

Fjord pauses and opens his eyes, sensing the change in Caduceus’ breathing. His own breath catches as he sees what he’s done, gazing around at the flowers arching behind him. If he were to lay down they’d look like wings. Caduceus’ heart is so full that his eyes begin to sting with tears. 

“That’s Her love,” he whispers to Fjord. “That’s brilliant, Fjord. You’ve created life.”

Fjord looks around himself, expression still stunned. Then, with some obvious reluctance, he plucks one of the little flowers and rocks forward onto his knees. 

They’re suddenly a lot closer, and Caduceus makes a soft, surprised sound. 

Fjord’s fingers are very gentle as he tucks Caduceus’ hair back then rests the little flower behind his ear. 

“I owe it to you,” Fjord’s voice rumbles softly between them. 

“She would still love you without me,” Caduceus replies in a whisper.

“But you’re here. And you helped me, so-” Fjord shrugs, then sits back, basking in the little meadow he’s made. 

Caduceus smiles, his heart aching with happiness. 

  
  
  


It feels like a blink of an eye before they’re in the middle of destructive chaos again, and Caduceus is pressed back against a wall, watching this...thing, abyssal thing fighting his friends. His eyes dart between them all, keeping check, casting spells to guide them, casting to weaken the beast, waiting to heal when they look like they’re struggling. 

His heart stops for a few seconds when Fjord is thrown across the room. He wants to run to him, to abandon the safety of his post to go, the tingle of healing already on his fingertips- then Fjord stands, looking rugged and fierce and so strong, charging back in with his sword raised. 

The distraction is unfortunate. Caduceus doesn’t remember anything after that. 

When he opens his eyes Fjord is leaning over him, his roughened hands cupping Caduceus’ face, the warmth of Fjord’s healing moving through him like settling into a newly run bath. 

“That’s Her love,” Fjord whispers, smile briefly lingering for a few heartbeats that makes Caduceus’ catch in his throat. 

The battle still raging is silent for a second. “Please be careful,” Fjord whispers, his thumbs brushing over Caduceus’ cheeks. He stands, spending a few more moments in the safety of the nook they’re somehow in, and then he’s gone, back to the fight. 

Caduceus heals himself a little more, dimly aware of the aching in his side where the thing must have struck him with one of it’s flailing limbs whilst he was distracted. He allows himself the time to breathe, to focus, then he follows. 

He isn’t the only one to nearly go down. He isn’t the only one to be out for a while. 

Caleb sets up the dome as far from the huge corpse as the cavern allows. 

  
  


Jester and Beau are trying to relax by doing each other’s hair. Yasha is slightly outside of the dome, looking at the fire they set there for light. Veth is already asleep somehow, and though Caleb is awake he doesn’t look long for it. 

Fjord is leaning against the stone wall of the cavern, curled inside the dome as much as space will allow. He’s holding his arm, and Caduceus knows it’s hurt. Fjord is just waiting it out, waiting for an uncomfortable nights sleep to heal him because he doesn’t want to ask for help. Caduceus knows that feeling all too well. 

A tiny flower is pressed into the pages of the book Caduceus carries for no real reason. It’s dried now, delicate. 

They’re all so delicate.

He moves over to Fjord, taking a seat beside him. Fjord smiles, tiredness giving way to a blinding brilliance that Caduceus could swear is brighter than the sunrise. 

He reaches to take the hand on his friend’s injured arm, lacing their fingers together, channeling some more healing into Fjord. Fjord, who is strong and brave and will go on to spread the word of the Wildmother wherever he goes. Who will have children and grow old and do so much good, who is only just starting his journey- Caduceus’ mind is so often full of him, full of thoughts that warm him at night and tingle deep down. One day they will part and Fjord will be the light in someones life, will bring them the joy that he brings Caduceus, and Caduceus is glad for that, of knowing that happiness and peace is in Fjord’s future. 

He glows when Fjord is near him. 

“This is my love,” Caduceus says softly as he guides the power bestowed on him into his friend, feeling warmth in his own skin, his heart thumping hard again. In the low light of the fire and the dome Fjord won’t see him flush. Fjord’s eyes do widen, but whatever he’s going to say Caduceus cuts off by standing.

He thinks he feels Fjord tighten his grip on their fingers, but Caduceus doesn’t stop. It’s time to make some tea. 

  
  


The next day they decide they need to go back home. They’ll go to the Xhorhaus and take some time to themselves in the safety of their walls. Give Essek the romantic gift of a giant abyssal heart. Sleep in their own beds. 

Caduceus manages to find the energy to crawl up the stars to his tree, leaning his head against the trunk and breathing. His hands stroke carefully over the bark, finding something soothing in the strength and life curled in the enormity of it. This has been a lot. It’s been a big adventure that sometimes feels too huge for him, but his friends- his purpose is to take care of his friends, and he loves them dearly, wouldn’t trade this for anything in the world, because he knows a new kind of love beside familial now. 

  
  


Maybe two new kinds of love. But that’s even bigger, that’s even more to deal with. 

Falling in love isn’t something he was expecting, but it’s beginning to be undeniable now. 

Hands rest against his hips and for a moment Caduceus thinks it’s Melora. But it’s too solid. He feels breath against his neck, the gentle grazing of lips against his skin. 

“Let me show you my love, Caduceus.”

Fjord’s voice is quiet and rough and tired. But Caduceus wants to feel it. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> If you feel like there should be more then feel free to let me know. I'm a bit blah about this fic.
> 
> Holla at me; Discord - Tulli#0322 and Tumblr - Hey-Tulli
> 
> Take care of yourselves and be kind to each other.


End file.
